What
is a Chemical Engineer?

a)
An Engineer who manufactures chemicals,

b)
A Chemist who works in a factory, or

c)
A glorified Plumber?

This is actually a trick question as the correct answer is d) "None
of the above." (Note however that chemical engineering students
bored with the relentless "pipe-flow example" during fluid dynamics
class may begin to think of themselves as simply "glorified plumbers".)

The first two incorrect answers make sense based upon the narrow sounding
title; "chemical engineer." Surely such a person must be either
a "chemist who builds things", or an "engineer who makes
chemicals". Yet, the English language has never really made any sense
and the name "chemical engineer" is a case in point.

All
Right, So What is a Chemical Engineer?

It is true that chemical engineers are comfortable with chemistry,
but they do much more with this knowledge than just make chemicals. In
fact, the term "chemical engineer" is not even intended
to describe the type of work a chemical engineer performs. Instead it
is meant to reveal what makes the field different from the other
branches of engineering.

All engineers employ mathematics, physics, and the engineering art
to overcome technical problems in a safe and economical fashion. Yet,
it is the chemical engineer alone that draws upon the vast and powerful
science of chemistry to solve a wide range of problems. The strong technical
and social ties that bind chemistry and chemical engineering are unique
in the fields of science and technology. This marriage between chemists
and chemical engineers has been beneficial to both sides and has rightfully
brought the envy of the other engineering fields.

The breadth of scientific and technical knowledge inherent in the profession
has caused some to describe the chemical engineer as the "universal
engineer." Yes, you are hearing me correctly; despite a title
that suggests a profession composed of narrow specialists, chemical engineers
are actually extremely versatile and able to handle a wide range of technical
problems.

So
What Exactly Does This "Universal Engineer" Do?

During the past Century, chemical engineers have made tremendous contributions
to our standard of living. To celebrate these accomplishments, the American
Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) has compiled a list of the "10
Greatest Achievements of Chemical Engineering." These triumphs
are summarized below:

The
Atom, as Large as Life:

Biology, medicine, metallurgy, and power generation have all been revolutionized
by our ability to split the atom and isolate isotopes. Chemical
engineers played a prominent role in achieving both of these results. Early
on facilities such as DuPont's Hanford Chemical Plant used these techniques
to bring an abrupt conclusion to World War II with the production
of the atomic bomb. Today these technologies have found uses in more peaceful
applications. Medical doctors now use isotopes to monitor bodily
functions; quickly identifying clogged arteries and veins. Similarly biologists
gain invaluable insight into the basic mechanisms of life, and archaeologists
can accurately date their historical findings.

The
Plastic Age:

The 19th Century saw enormous advances in polymer chemistry.
However, it required the insights of chemical engineers during the 20th
Century to make mass produced polymers a viable economic reality.
When a plastic called Bakelite was introduced in 1908 it sparked
the dawn of the "Plastic Age" and quickly found uses in electric
insulation, plugs & sockets, clock bases, iron cooking handles, and
fashionable jewelry (see OIL).
Today plastic has become so common that we hardly notice it exists. Yet
nearly all aspects of modern life are positively and profoundly impacted
by plastic.

The
Human Reactor:

Chemical engineers have long studied complex chemical processes by breaking
them up into smaller "unit operations." Such operations
might consist of heat exchangers, filters, chemical reactors and the like.
Fortunately this concept has also been applied to the human body. The results
of such analysis have helped improve clinical care, suggested improvements
in diagnostic and therapeutic devices, and led to mechanical wonders
such as artificial organs. Medical doctors and chemical engineers
continue to work hand in hand to help us live longer fuller lives.

Wonder
Drugs for the Masses:

Chemical engineers have been able to take small amounts of antibiotics
developed by people such as Sir Arthur Fleming (who discovered penicillin
in 1929) and increase their yields several thousand times through
mutation and special brewing techniques. Today's low price,high volume, drugs owe their existence to the work of chemical engineers.
This ability to bring once scarce materials to all members of society
through industrial creativity is a defining characteristic of chemical
engineering (see Plastics above, Synthetic
Fibers, Food, and Synthetic Rubber
below).

Synthetic
Fibers, a Sheep's Best Friend:

From blankets and clothes to beds and pillows, synthetic fibers keep
us warm, comfortable, and provide a good night's rest.
Synthetic fibers also help reduce the strain on natural sources
of cotton and wool, and can be tailored to specific applications.
For example; nylon stockings make legs look young and attractive
while bullet proof vests keep people out of harm's way.

Liquefied
Air, Yes it's Cool:

When air is cooled to very low temperatures (about 320 deg F below
zero) it condenses into a liquid. Chemical engineers can then separate
out the different components. The purified nitrogen can be used
to recover petroleum, freeze food, produce semiconductors, or prevent unwanted
reactions while oxygen is used to make steel, smelt copper, weld
metals together, and support the lives of patients in hospitals.

The
Environment, We All Have to Live Here:

Chemical engineers provide economical answers to clean up yesterday's
waste and prevent tomorrow's pollution. Catalytic converters,
reformulated gasoline, and smoke stack scrubbers all help
keep the world clean. Additionally, chemical engineers help reduce the
strain on natural materials through synthetic replacements, more
efficient processing, and new recycling technologies.

Food,
"It's What's For Dinner":

Plants need large amounts of nitrogen, potassium,
and phosphorus to grow in abundance. Chemical fertilizers
can help provide these nutrients to crops, which in turn provide us with
a bountiful and balanced diet. Fertilizers are especially important
in certain regions of Asia and Africa where food can sometimes be scarce
(See NITROGEN).
Advances in biotechnology also offer the potential to further increase
worldwide food production. Finally, chemical engineers are at the forefront
of food processing where they help create better tasting and most
nutritious foods.

Petrochemicals,
"Black Gold, Texas Tea":

Chemical engineers have helped develop processes like catalytic cracking
to breakdown the complex organic molecules found in crude
oil into much simpler species. These building blocks are then separated
and recombined to form many useful products including: gasoline,
lubricating oils, plastics, synthetic rubber, and
synthetic fibers. Petroleum processing is therefore recognized as
an enabling technology, without which, much of modern life would
cease to function (see OIL).

Running
on Synthetic Rubber:

Chemical engineers played a prominent role in developing today's synthetic
rubber industry. During World War II, synthetic rubber capacity
suddenly became of paramount importance. This was because modern society
runs on rubber. Tires, gaskets, hoses, and conveyor
belts (not to mention running shoes) are all made of rubber.
Whether you drive, bike, roller-blade, or run; odds are you are running
on rubber.

Chemical
Engineering Today & Tomorrow

The "Big Four" engineering fields consist of civil,
mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineers. Of these, chemical
engineers are numerically the smallest group. However,
this relatively small group holds a very prominent position in many industries,
and chemical engineers are, on average, the highest paid of the
"Big Four" (see WAGES).
Additionally, many chemical engineers have found their way into upper
management. A chemical engineer is either currently, or has previously,
occupied the CEO position for: 3M, Du Pont, General Electric, Union Carbide, Dow Chemical,
Exxon, BASF, Gulf Oil, Texaco, and B.F. Goodrich. Even a former director
of the CIA, John M. Deutch, was a chemical engineer by training.

More typically, chemical engineers concern themselves with the chemical
processes that turn raw materials into valuable products. The necessary
skills encompass all aspects of design, testing, scale-up, operation, control,
and optimization, and require a detailed understanding of the various "unit
operations", such as distillation, mixing, and biological processes,
which make these conversions possible. Chemical engineering science utilizes
mass, momentum, and energy transfer along with thermodynamics
and chemical kinetics to analyze and improve on these "unit
operations."

Today there are around 70,000 practicing chemical engineers in
the United States (57,000 of these are AIChE members) (see AIChE
MEMBERSHIP). During the entire history of the profession there
have been only about 135,000 American chemical engineers (including
those alive today). This means that more than a half of all the
chemical engineers who have ever existed are contributing to society
right now! Chemical engineering is not a profession that has to dwell
on the achievements of the past for comfort, for its greatest accomplishments
are yet to come.